Today the term Athletic Supporter refers to the many different professions and people who are out there to support Athletes in the quest to improve performance, prevent injury, recover, be health, and etc. It is not uncommon for some of the youth athletes I work with to have in their arsenal of support a Physical Therapist, Orthopedic Surgeon, Primary Care Physician, Sport Coach, Skill Coach, and myself as a Strength Coach. I think back to myself as an athlete and When I was Thirteen or Fourteen I had my Pediatrician and Coach. If I got hurt I sat out. Lifting weights didn't happen because back then "kids don't lift weights, it will stunt their growth."Now a days it is difficult for Athletes and Parents of Athletes to sift through all of the information out there for performance enhancement, rehabilitation, recovery, health care, etc. Between Athletic Trainers, Physical Therapists, Chiropractors, Massage Therapists, Orthopedics, Osteopaths, Strength & Conditioning Specialists, Personal Trainers, and then all of the different coaches out there selling their clubs, teams, programs it gets confusing quick.
What is important for Athletes and Parents of Athletes to know is that it important to build your Athletic Support Team with people who are credible and are willing to work with you and other members of your Athletic Support Team. It can be very counter productive if you have one person telling you one thing and another telling you that is wrong do it this way. Many of the professions I outlined overlap each other with the skills and expertise they have. What you the consumer need to know is what each professional is capable of doing and how that can benefit your athletic performance.
First step to establishing a credible and well rounded Athletic Support Team is to have a Primary Care Physician that understands that you are an Athlete. This person should be more than just the person you go to when you have the sniffles and need a physical. What you are looking for is a Physician that is willing to refer you when you need to be referred. I can't tell you how many times during my Career as an Athletic Trainer I had trouble getting an athlete in to see an orthopedic because their Primary Care Physician would not refer them because they wanted to see them and then treated them. Unless your primary care physician has a specialty in Sports Medicine or Orthopedics then they should not handle an orthopedic injury. Having a PCP that will refer you when referral is needed is important. No how the PCP can help you is to have annual Physicals and be able to see you quickly when you are ill or need referral to a specialist. With injuries and illnesses and athletics time is crucial. If you sprain your ankle you want to begin the process of treatment ASAP not waiting a week to see the PCP to then get a referral and then wait another week to get in to see the Orthopedic. Having a PCP who has relationships with other physicians in other specialties is invaluable and the foundation of the Athletic Support team.
Then next person on your Athletic Support Team should be an individual who will help your when you are injured. This will be your Athletic Trainer or Physical Therapist. If you are lucky and have an Athletic Trainer that works with your team you are fortunate. If you don't know what an Athletic Trainer is go to http://www.nata.org/ to find out. Athletic Trainers are allied health professionals who are trained to work with the physically active population to Prevent, Evaluate, and Rehabilitate injuries. Athletic Trainers are found in many different settings from the Professional Sports level down to youth sports. These individuals are trained in how to handle situations that occur in athletics from something as simple as a nose bleed or sprained ankle to the emergency situations such as a Severe Head or Neck injury or joint dislocation. If you are an athlete at a setting which has an Athletic Trainer or a Parent of an Athlete in this setting you should get to know your Athletic Trainer before you are injured and need them. Developing a relationship prior to injury is a good way to get better care when you are injured. Not all Physical Therapists are created equal. It is important that your PT has background in Athletics. Treating a patient who is a physically athletic individual is much different from treating the sedentary patient. If you are going to be seen by a PT make sure that they treat athletes and not just say they do. If you are being treated and you are the only person there who appears to be an athlete there is a good chance you are. There are plenty of quality PTs out there who work with Athletes. Don't just go to the PT around the corner, find the PT who is going to serve your needs.
Once you have your Physician Network and ATC or PT in your Athletic Support Team you should discuss with them your options of professionals to aid in recovery. Massage Therapy, Chiropractic Medicine and other forms of manual therapy are great ways to aid in recovery and treat some of the more nagging injuries or correct imbalances. Having a Massage Therapist or Chiropractor who knows how to manipulate your body back into shape is a great tool. As an athlete from time to time you are going to feel a knot or ache and pain that are hampering your performance. Being able to have someone who knows your body and what you do to it will help you keep your body in alignment and in good working order.
Lastly, Strength Training and athletes has increase so much over the last twenty years. Especially in the Youth age group population. But, there are lots of options out there. It is very important to know who you are training with. All Personal Trainers are not created equal. There are many certifications out there. Many of them are NOT credible. Who would you rather train you? Someone who took a weekend course and passed the exam and became a Personal Trainer or someone who graduated from an accredited college and passed a national certification exam. There are several credentials you should be on the lookout for when searching for a Personal Trainer or Strength Coach. First, the gold standard for Strength and Conditioning is the CSCS credential. CSCS stands for Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and is the Gold standard for Strength Coaches. These people have been trained in the art and science behind performance enhancement. CSCSs are certified by the National Strength & Conditioning Association. To find out more on CSCS and the NCSA go to http://www.nsca.com/. There are also several Personal Training Certifications out there. But, the best ones are Certified Personal Trainers by the NSCA and also the National Council on Strength & Fitness. CPTs are certainly qualified to work with you and are college educated and have passed a national certification exam.
Now that you know more about your Athletic Support Team you are one step closer to reaching your goals.
Here at Ullucci Sports Medicine you can complete your Athletic Support Team by utilizing our Staff of Physical Therapists, Athletic Trainers, Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialists, Personal Trainers, Massage Therapists and much more. From Standard Physical Therapy to Performance Enhancement we have it all.
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